Have lots of extra apples? Here are 15 healthy apple dinner recipes. Add them to your meal plan for dinner this week or enjoy leftovers for lunch!
*Originally published Oct 2014. Updated September 2022*
Hi Friends!
I don’t know about you but I often find myself with a surplus of apples. Whether it’s after going apple-picking in the Fall or simply because they’re on sale at the store, I’m constantly looking for ways to use up this simple fruit.
Healthy Dinner Recipes with Apples
Luckily apples are super versatile and make a good addition to tons of recipes for any meal of the day! I’ve you’re looking specifically for breakfast recipes, try these 10 Healthy Ways to Eat Apples for Breakfast.
And while a lot of people immediately think of apples for breakfast, snack or dessert, I’ve decided to think beyond breakfast!
These healthy apple dinner recipes will shake up your Fall menu and hopefully provide you with a few new family favorite recipes for years to come!
If you’re looking for a few of my favorite recipes using apples, try:
- Apple Graham Cracker Snack Nachos
- Pumpkin Apple Lentil Muffins
- Curried Tuna Salad with Apples
- Zucchini Carrot Apple Muffins
Vegetarian Apple Dinner Recipes
Most of the recipes highlighted below contain meat but apples are also the perfect addition to vegetarian dinner recipes. They are a great addition to Fall salads as they pair well with roasted squash, sweet potatoes and other Fall vegetables. They also add some sweetness to salsas and can be shredded and added to vegetarian patties or chopped and added to a hash with vegetarian sausage.
Chicken Apple Sausage Dinner Recipes
Fall is also a great time to take advantage of all of the chicken apple sausage variations out there. Most sausage brands now have a sweet apple chicken sausage variety that pairs well with eggs if you’re in the mood for breakfast for dinner or with noodles/tortellini and some cheese for a quick weeknight meal. You can also pair it with diced apples and broccoli or green beans for an easy sheet pan meal.
Dinner Recipes Using Apple Juice
And finally, we can’t talk about apples without also talking about apple juice! There are lots of dinner recipes using apple juice, including a few featured below. Apple juice is a great addition to a marinade or skillet dinner to help make a flavorful pan sauce.
Healthy Apple Dinner Recipes
Apple Cheddar Turkey Meatballs
These Apple Cheddar Turkey Meatballs are kid-friendly and perfect for food prep! They’re full of flavor and make a great party appetizer or family dinner.
Apple Cranberry Mason Jar Salads
Crunchy apples, sweet cranberries and chicken mixed with a homemade Greek Yogurt Poppy Seed Dressing. These would be perfect for dinner on the go as you’re driving kids to various practices and games. Or make a few for the week and enjoy them for lunch.
Maple Mustard Chicken & Apple Skillet
The perfect blend of sweet and savory with a slight tang from the mustard sauce! This skillet is packed with apples, sweet potatoes and chicken and a one-pan meal makes clean-up a breeze!
Brussels Sprout Apple Goat Cheese Salad
This salad combines apples with shaved brussels sprouts, red onion, walanuts, goat cheese and more…all tossed in a balsamic dressing. Serve it as a side salad, add chicken and pack for lunch or serving at your next gathering.
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
An easy, creamy soup that’s packed with veggies and perfect as a dinner side dish or light meal. Serve it with your favorite grilled cheese & try adding apples to that too! Perfect for a cool Fall night.
Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Turn your Brussels sprouts into a dish the whole family will love by adding apples and pecans! Throw some chicken sausage into the mix for a complete meal.
Harvest Chicken Skillet
All your favorite Fall vegetables, plus chicken for protein and apples for sweetness in one big skillet for a comforting, yet healthy Fall meal.
Apple Chicken with Bacon and Potatoes
A hearty Fall meal you’ll make over and over. Made in one skillet, it’s packed with spinach, bacon, potatoes, apples and chicken in a simple sauce.
Roasted Squash Fall Salad
This Roasted Squash Fall Salad is perfect for lunch or dinner. Packed with vegetables and protein, it’s full of flavor and easy to customize. A great way to enjoy seasonal produce! Keep it vegetarian or add your favorite meat or fish.
Apple Cider Chicken Skillet
Made with apples AND apple cider for that extra delicious Fall flavor. This simple recipe is perfect for busy weeknights.
Copycat Apple Pecan Chicken Salad
This salad is full of flavor and packed with things like apples, blue cheese, pecans and Craisins, all topped with an irresistible dressing.
Apple & Brie Stuffed Chicken
An easy skillet chicken recipe full of pelty cheese and tart green apples. Added bonus- you can use the juices to a make a simple sauce to spoon over the chicken.
Apple Bacon Cheddar Quesadillas
The perfect combination of sweet apple, salty bacon and sharp cheddar cheese. Serve these for a quick and easy dinner or add some leftover chicken for extra protein!
Apple Cheddar Chicken Melts
Make these on a baking sheet for a simple dinner at the end of a busy day. They’re filled with apples, chicken and cheese for an easy but very satisfying dinner – or lunch!
Sheet Pan Chicken & Sweet Potatoes
Everyone loves a sheet pan meal! This one mixes sweet apples with broccoli and sweet potatoes and everything is glazed with apple cider!
What’s your favorite healthy apple dinner recipe?
Enjoy!
–Lindsay–
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There is nothing like fall apple picking. I went to college in upstate NY and that was a real highlight of the fall.
Great minds think alike with the Apple recipe love! My favourite recipe is the Apple crisp that I listed in my post – so good!
Oh how I love apple season! I’ve been eating apples in some form everyday. I don’t want fall to ever end. 🙂
did anything catch my eye? um… all!
LOVE apples – so versatile!! i love cooking with applesauce and i love making apple pie milkshakes and i love good ol’ classic apple and peanut butter for snack!
These are great! My parents have a tree in their yard and gave me a whole bucket… now I know what to do with them all!
Oh I love apples more than pumpkin! Awesome roundup of recipes!
We went apple picking 2 weeks ago and still have loads left and I’ve been trying to use them in everything. They are amazingly versatile and really seem to go with everything if you get creative. Love this!
OMG Apple pancakes! I really wish it felt more like fall!
These all look so good – I don’t know where to start haha.
Great post. I was just laughing at the huge assortment of apples in my fridge and was dreaming up something new to do with them. Thanks for the inspiration. Pinning now 🙂
YUM! Love that collection of recipes. The salad looks incredible.
These recipes all look so good – especially the baked apples with granola and cream cheese frosting – yum!
My favorite way to use apples is in crock pot oatmeal. Easy and delicious ☺
Yum! I want to try everything. This is perfect timing because I’m having serious apple cravings.
I love apples, and this round-up of recipes is exactly what I needed to help me not waste this delicious and nutritious in-season fruit! Now to decide which recipe to start with… Great post!
I’m making apple nachos this weekend. Probably not the healthiest recipe, but there are apples in it so it has some redeeming qualities for sure!
I like squash and eat spaghetti squash often but I have never tried acorn squash. Sounds delicious!
You had me at apples! These recipes look great. My own favorites would be my homemade apple-honey pudding (a new big hit for Rosh Hashana) and apples baked with beef stew and beer. (An amazing combo!)
LOVE APPLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So good for you too!!!!
Oooh tis the season for stuffed acorn squash
The apple fritters caught my eye! Luckily, I still have honey crisps!
P.S. Come on Baby Bean!
Awesome recipes, my son will definitely love each of these because he loves apples. Thank you for sharing new ideas to do.